Charlie Miller Obituary, Annapolis, Maryland, Charlie Miller Has Passed Away
Charlie Miller Obituary, Death – Commander Charles L. Miller of Annapolis, MD died peacefully in his sleep on May 13, 2017. His age was 96. Charles was born October 14, 1920, in Kerrville, Texas, to Nell Lockett and Robert Nicholas Miller II (USNA ’10). Early on, his family moved from Texas to New Orleans. He graduated class president from Gulf Coast Military Academy in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Alcée Fortier High School in 1938. Charles was elected New Orleans Junior Red Cross President at 16 and represented the organization in Washington. He received a one-year Tulane scholarship.
After entering the US Naval Academy, he joined his older brother Robert N. Miller (USNA ’40). Charles was Battalion Commander and a two-letter Naval Academy soccer and track athlete (excellent pole vaulter). During Graduation on June 7, 1943, the Superintendent gave him a Letter of Commendation for developing naval spirit and loyalty in the Regiment. After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1943 with the accelerated Class of 1944 and serving in the Pacific, he attended Pre-flight School in Iowa City and received his Aviator Wings in 1946 at Naval Air Station Chase Field in Beeville, Texas. He flew the F4U Corsair on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) after carrier training in Jacksonville, Fl.
Betty (Elizabeth Begley) from Washington, DC, met her life mate in Jacksonville, FL, while visiting her sister Barbara for flight training. Barbara married Charlie’s classmate James L. Holbrook. “I’m going to marry that girl,” Charlie said Jim after meeting Betty, and they did. Betty and Charlie married 72 years ago at the Jacksonville base Chapel on December 15, 1945. In his twenty-year navy career, he served on USS Santa Fe (CL 63), USS Roosevelt (CVA 42) with VF-42, USS Wasp (CVA 18) with VF-171, USS Ranger (CVA-61), and USS Shangri La (CVA 38 His shore assignments included Flight Training Naval Air Training Command, Pensacola, FL; NAS Patuxent River- Operations Department and Ground Control Approach (GCA) Officer; Caribbean Sea Frontier/COM 10.
Charlie was Maryland Interclub Seniors Golf Association USNA Golf Club Treasurer. USNA ’44 Class Treasurer for years. The Annapolis Yacht Club and New Providence Club featured him. Charlie also liked ushering at the Naval Academy Chapel, playing bridge, gardening, birdwatching, Rehoboth Beach, DE, and watching his three gorgeous grandchildren grow up. Charles is survived by his loving wife, Elizabeth Begley Miller, of Ginger Cove, and two sons:
